The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an actuator.
Conventionally, actuators have been known in which the actuator has a sheet formed by stacking dielectric rubber layers (dielectric elastomer layers) and conductive rubber layers along the direction of thickness. This type of actuator is operated by executing and stopping voltage application to the conductive rubber layers of the sheet so that the dielectric elastomer layers are expanded or contracted (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-252132).
Such actuators are used for artificial muscles. More specific examples include an actuator disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-124875. The sheet of this actuator is rolled. Voltage application to the conductive rubber layers of the sheet is executed or stopped, so that the rolled sheet is expanded or contracted along the axial direction.
To manufacture the actuator, dielectric elastomer layers and conductive rubber layers may be stacked along the direction of thickness to form a sheet, and the formed sheet may be rolled by being wrapped about a core.